Post by Tikara on Jan 4, 2008 5:14:29 GMT -5
Sea Otter
The largest member of the weasel family, the sea otter is also the 2nd smallest marine mammal. Sea otters have the thickest fur in the animal kingdom, ranging from 250,000 to a million hairs per square inch, which insulates them and maintains warmth. Unlike other marine mammals, the sea otter does not have a layer of blubber (fat) to help keep it warm.
Go Wild This Holiday Season!
Help Keep the Seas a Safe Place for Sea Otters! With a Sea Otter Adoption, you’ll give that special wildlife lover in your life a truly meaningful gift that’s otterly adorable.
Length California sea otters: 4 feet; northern sea otters: slightly larger
Weight 45 lbs (females); 65 lbs (males). Northern sea otters can reach up to 100 pounds.
Lifespan 10-15 years (males); 15-20 years (females)
Diet
Sea urchins, abalone, mussels, clams, crabs, snails and about 40 other marine species. Sea otters eat approximately 25% of their weight in food each day.
Range
The sea otter’s historic range stretched from Japan, along the coast of Siberia and the Aleutian Chain and down the Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California coast to Baja California. Currently sea otters can be found in California, Washington, Alaska, Canada, Russia, and Japan.
Behavior
Sea otters live in shallow coastal waters off the northern Pacific. They are the only mammals other than primates, birds and a few other animals known to use tools. They use small rocks or other objects to pry shellfish from rocks and to hammer them open.
Sea otters spend much of their lives in the water and can dive up to 330 feet when foraging for food. They sometimes rest in coastal kelp forests, often draping the kelp over their bodies to keep from drifting away.
Reproduction
Mating Season throughout the year
Gestation 6-8 months
Litter Size Generally one pup, but sea otters can give birth to twins
The largest member of the weasel family, the sea otter is also the 2nd smallest marine mammal. Sea otters have the thickest fur in the animal kingdom, ranging from 250,000 to a million hairs per square inch, which insulates them and maintains warmth. Unlike other marine mammals, the sea otter does not have a layer of blubber (fat) to help keep it warm.
Go Wild This Holiday Season!
Help Keep the Seas a Safe Place for Sea Otters! With a Sea Otter Adoption, you’ll give that special wildlife lover in your life a truly meaningful gift that’s otterly adorable.
Length California sea otters: 4 feet; northern sea otters: slightly larger
Weight 45 lbs (females); 65 lbs (males). Northern sea otters can reach up to 100 pounds.
Lifespan 10-15 years (males); 15-20 years (females)
Diet
Sea urchins, abalone, mussels, clams, crabs, snails and about 40 other marine species. Sea otters eat approximately 25% of their weight in food each day.
Range
The sea otter’s historic range stretched from Japan, along the coast of Siberia and the Aleutian Chain and down the Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California coast to Baja California. Currently sea otters can be found in California, Washington, Alaska, Canada, Russia, and Japan.
Behavior
Sea otters live in shallow coastal waters off the northern Pacific. They are the only mammals other than primates, birds and a few other animals known to use tools. They use small rocks or other objects to pry shellfish from rocks and to hammer them open.
Sea otters spend much of their lives in the water and can dive up to 330 feet when foraging for food. They sometimes rest in coastal kelp forests, often draping the kelp over their bodies to keep from drifting away.
Reproduction
Mating Season throughout the year
Gestation 6-8 months
Litter Size Generally one pup, but sea otters can give birth to twins